Change, no change...

So. It has been a long time since I have been here. Let me dust off the the place a little, and lets do this. A lot of things have happened in the last few weeks, so there is tons to say, tons to talk about. 

To begin with, I have changed countries. I know reside in the United States of America, working as a PhD student at the Georgia Institute of Technology. The transition has been easier for me than most other people I know because of the incredible luck of getting admission in a place where I already have a couple of good friends and a city which also happens to be the current address of my brother and sister-in-law. Let me tell you the best part first, SHE IS AN AMAZING COOK! So I can just go home any time I want and have all the home food I want. Most of transition to the school was smoothen-ed by the presence of Sa and Sw. So, all in all, the transition has been nice.
The campus here is very nice. It is smack in the middle of downtown Atlanta. I am lucky enough to have an office with a window, overlooking the skyline. Yes, I have an office :). I do share it with a couple of people, but that is okay. Our department is a small one, looking to aggressively expand in the next few years, so that is a good thing. I am currently rotating with a fun lab, a fun PI and life is good. 

That's the view from my office window

Its been a month of living in Atlanta. I have a student pass to the Woodruff arts center, the self proclaimed vangaurd of performing arts in the city. There are other places in the city, that have more offbeat things happening and I hope to discover them too, in my time here. I saw a play at the Woodruff yesterday, and I liked it, liked the experience. 

In terms of food, they say Atlanta is a great hub of good food places. The problem is, that it is also a great hub of costly places. So it will be a while before I can discover the gastronomic landscape of the city. Meanwhile, I subsist on dining hall food on campus. Also, I am trying to set up my kitchen, to do a bit of cooking now and then. 

Atlanta is a spread out city, not really made for walking. the sidewalks are in disrepair, and walking is said to be unsafe at night. Indeed, the few times I have ventured out at night, the place is deserted and dark, and anyone with ulterior motives could easily get away with crime on those streets. I am waiting to get a few formalities out of the way, and getting a driving licence as soon as I can. That way, it is easier and safer to roam the city. That also ties in with my plans to explore the country in the five or so years I have at my disposal. 

All in all, life is good. Future life looks good. Work is splendid, home is splendid. There are a few issues, like cost of living, homesickness etc., but they will sort out in time. 

 Also, did I mention I live a block away from the studios of Cartoon Network?